Crucifix viewing set for Saturday on bay ice

The public is invited onto the Little Traverse Bay ice on Saturday, March 5, for a viewing of an underwater crucifix.

Located northwest of Petoskey’s Sunset Park — about a quarter-mile off shore — the crucifix rests in about 21 feet of water and serves as a memorial to divers who lost their lives, shipwreck victims and victims of other water-related fatalities.

Dennis Jessick of Harbor Springs and Rick Hoig of Pellston are spearheading the viewing event, which is planned for 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. There is no fee required to view the crucifix, but donations will be accepted.

“All proceeds go to (cover) the cost of the event,” Jessick said.

Organizers plan to set up a tent at the viewing site. Before heading onto the ice, Jessick suggests that visitors keep the following in mind: “No tent, no event.”

For attendance-tracking purposes, organizers request that visitors sign a guest book at the viewing tent.

For those heading onto the ice, Jessick expects some of the easiest access will be available near the east end of Bayfront Park’s access drive, down the bluff from Sunset Park.

For traction purposes on the ice, Jessick suggests attaching ice creepers to one’s shoes and walking on snow-covered areas of the bay surface.

In the viewing tent, visitors will be able to look through a viewing box — that helps block surrounding light — down into the water.

Organizers recently used a GPS to find the general location of the crucifix, and then bored several small test holes in the ice as they pinpointed the exact spot where it rests. Jessick noted that the ice measured about two feet thick, and that he anticipates good underwater visibility for Saturday’s event.

The crucifix viewing first took place in 1986, and has occurred in at least 20 of the years since. No viewing took place last year because of unstable ice conditions.

The highest attendance ever recorded for one of the viewings was about 1,800 people, Jessick said.

The event originated with a now-defunct local diving club in which Jessick was involved. With few diving opportunities available during the winter, Jessick said a public viewing of the memorial was conceived as an activity which the club could take part in at that time of year.

Although the club no longer exists, Jessick and a few helpers have kept the viewing event intact. This year, he and Hoig will be assisted by Jessick’s wife, Susan; Hoig’s son, Eric; and a friend and fellow diver, Alan Kolinski.

Scuba North, a diving center in Traverse City, also helped out with liability insurance arrangements for the event this year, Jessick noted.

Scuba-diving opportunities will be available beneath the ice during Saturday’s event. Divers will be responsible for their own gear — including their choice of a wet or dry suit — although help may be available in moving the gear across the ice.

Jessick said ice certification is strongly recommended for those diving on Saturday. Introductory ice-diving instruction may be available.

For more information about the event, call Jessick at (231) 838-5099 or (231) 526-6272.